USA > Connecticut > Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial; representative citizens, v.2 > Part 6
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Matthew Gray and his wife, Joan, were among the Scotch-Irish immigrants land- ing in Boston, August 4, 1718. In the autumn they located in Worcester, Massa- chusetts, where he bought, in 1728, the nucleus of the Gray farm, which remained in the possession of his descendants for more than a century. He was a sealer of leather and hoggreeve in Worcester. and there lived until his death. He deeded his farm to his son, Matthew (2), in October, 1735.
Matthew (2) Gray was born in 1710, and in October, 1735, his father deeded him the "Gray farm" in Worcester, upon which he resided until 1772, when he deeded it to his son Reuben. Matthew (2) had two wives and twenty-one chil-
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dren, eleven of whose births are recorded in Worcester. His first wife, Jean. died in December, 1764, aged forty-eight; his second wife was Margaret (McFarland) Gray. Among his children was a son. Joseph, born June 4. 1758.
Dr. Joseph Gray, son of Matthew (2) and Jean Gray, of Pelham, Massachusetts, was born June 4, 1758, although it is claimed by some of his descendants that he was of English origin and born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1751. He took an active part in the war of the Revolution, studied medicine under Dr. Rush, and was one of the earliest edu- cated physicians in Hillsboro county, New Hampshire. In 1780 he married Lucy Bancroft, daughter of Samuel Bancroft, so11 of Samuel Bancroft. son of Thomas (1) Bancroft, born in England. George Bancroft, the historian, son of Dr. Aaron Bancroft, was a nephew of Lucy (Ban- croft) Anderson. Dr. Gray moved in 1790 to Mason, New Hampshire, and died at Quebec, Canada, in 1812, his wife in 1815. Children: Harry, died young : Henry, see forward ; Lucy, born Febru- ary 5, 1785 : Joseph (2), a physician, born February 9, 1788, died February 9. 1879 ; John L., March 28, 1789; Lydia, died in infancy ; Lydia Bancroft, born June 19, 1793, died November 12, 1877 ; Isaac, June 20, 1795, died August, 1821; Hannah. January 17, 1800, died September 29, 1822.
Dr. Henry Gray, second son of Dr. Joseph and Lucy (Bancroft) Gray, born at Nottingham West. now Hudson, New York, May 27, 1783, was a physician, and died August 24. 1863. He married. No- vember 23, 1808, Margaret Carpenter. Children : Henry, see forward ; Isaac F .. born January 7, 1812; May, November 12, 1813; Lucy, January 22, 1815; David B., May 6, 1817; A. Jackson, February 23, 1820; Margaret, February 9, 1822; Hannah, July 29, 1824: Joseph J., De- cember 25, 1826; John B., April I, 1829.
Dr. Henry Gray, son of Dr. Henry Gray, born January 7. 1810. married, March 31, 1834, Janet Bullions, died at Cambridge, New York, February 10, 1877. Children : 1. Mary Bullions, born June 22. 1835; married the Rev. John Ander- son ; children: Mary Jeannette, Lizzie G., Henry Gray, Annie B., Grace Estey, John and Charles Gray. 2. Henry, died in infancy. 3. Eliza. married Dr. Benja- min F. Ketchum. 4. Henry, a physician ; married Sarah A. Buel. 5. Robert L., killed at the battle of the Wilderness, May 5, 1864. 6. Charles Adams. a physi- cian of Sioux Falls. Dakota, and Hills- dale. New Hampshire : married Nellie A. Joslin. 7. Florence C., married Julia J. Estey. 8. Frances J., married (first) Dr. J. W. Kennedy, (second) Rev. Thomas Cull. 9. Annie R., married Marcius L. Cobb.
CARTER, Loren Russell,
Real Estate Leader.
Intimately connected with Waterbury business interests for many years, giving especial attention to real estate, Mr. Car- ter has had an important part in the upbuilding of that city. He is a lineal descendant of the Rev. Thomas Carter, who was ordained the first pastor of the church at Woburn, Massachusetts. No- vember 22, 1642, and the founder of a family settled all over the United States. The family he founded is shown by the records to have been prominent in all matters of public interest, the building of churches and the establishment of schools, active in the military organizations and public duties of their day, many soldiers, legislators, physicians, lawyers and min- isters bearing the name.
(I) Rev. Thomas Carter was born in England in Hertfordshire, at or near St. Albans. He received his degree of A. B. at St. John's College, Cambridge, April I.
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1626, and the A. M. degree in 1633. It is not known when he sailed for New England but the Thomas Carter who came in the ship "Planter," April 2, 1635, located in another part of Massachusetts. There were three Thomas Carters who came to New England, all arriving at about the same time and all were about the same age, and another Thomas Carter who went to Virginia. Rev. Thomas Car- ter came to Massachusetts prior to 1637, as he was made a freeman of the colony in that year at Wedham, shortly after moving to Watertown where he was elder of the church, had a homestall of ten acres, and in 1642 a farm of ninety-two acres and a lot in the town plot. He first. preached in Woburn, December 4, 1641, this being the second service of public worship ever held in the new town. After much persuasion he yielded a reluctant consent to leave the Watertown church, and on November 22, 1642, was ordained the first pastor of the Woburn church. At his ordination the town presented him with a house which they built for his use and agreed to give him a salary of eighty pounds annually, one quarter to be in silver, the remainder in various neces- saries of life at current prices. This compensation was increased in 1674 by the grant of twenty cords of wood annu- ally. to be delivered at his door. He min- istered constantly to his people without aid for thirty-six years, and then an as- sistant pastor was appointed. He served six years more in conjunction with the assistant until his death, in 1684, in all forty-two years. He is described as a "reverend godly man, apt to teach the sound and wholesome truths of Christ." There appears to have been the greatest harmony between him and the congre- gation and under his ministrations the church was greatly enlarged and built up. He died September 5, 1684. There is little doubt that his wife, Mary, was the daugh-
ter of George Parkhurst, Sr., of Water- town, and that she was baptized in Ips- wich, England, August 28, 1614. She died in Woburn, March 28, 1687. No record of their marriage is found, but their first child, Samuel, was born in Watertown, August 8, 1640. Children of the Rev. Thomas Carter: Samuel, died in 1693; Judith, died in 1676; Theophilus, Mary, Abigail, Deborah, Timothy, Thomas (2), mentioned below.
In the public library at Woburn is a painting of the ordination of the Rev. Thomas Carter by Albert Thompson, No- vember 22, O. S. 1642, the characters repre- sented being John Cotton, minister of the First Church of Boston; Richard Mather, minister of the First Church of Dorches- ter ; John Eliot, Apostle to the Indians, First Church of Roxbury; Captain Ed- ward Johnson, one of the founders of both church and town; Thomas Carter, a lay member of the church ; John Wilson, min- ister of the First Church of Charlestown ; two visitors and church members. This painting is of great historic value, show- ing as it does some of the first settlers of Woburn.
(II) Thomas (2) Carter, son of the Rev. Thomas (1) Carter, was born in Woburn, June 8. 1655, and was living September 21, 1722, a farmer possessed of considerable land. He married, in 1682, Margaret (or Margery) Whitte- more, born September 9, 1668, died Octo- ber 5, 1734, daughter of Francis and Mar- garet Harty Whittemore. Children, all born in Woburn : Mary, Thomas (3), men- tioned below; Eleazer, Daniel, Ebenezer, Ezra.
(III) Thomas (3) Carter, son of Thom- as (2) Carter, was born in Woburn, Mas- sachusetts, June 13, 1686, died November 18, 1772, aged eighty-eight years, and his tombstone may be seen near the entrance in Warren (Connecticut) Cemetery, the epitaph reading :
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All nature must Return to dust.
He was a wheelwright by trade and about 1718 moved from Reading, Massa- chusetts, to Weston, thence in 1726 to Hebron, Connecticut. About 1750, after a residence of nearly twenty-five years in Hebron, he moved with nearly all his numerous family, some of them already married, and accompanied by several other unrelated families, to Litchfield county, Connecticut, and took up a large part of what became the town of Warren. His name is first on the list of those who "owned the Covenant" in the church of the Society of East Greenwich (now Warren). He married (first) at Reading, Massachusetts, February 19, 1713, Abigail Locke, of Woburn. She died April 10, 1729, leaving five children. He married (second) December 9, 1730, Sarah Gil- bert. who died July 12, 1796, in her eighty- eighth year, and is buried in Warren Cemetery near her husband. She was a daughter of Samuel and Mercy (Warner) Gilbert, granddaughter of Samuel and Mary (Rogers) Gilbert, and great-grand- daughter of Jonathan Gilbert, a promi- nent man of the Connecticut Colony from 1645 until his death, 1682, and his second wife, Mary (White) Gilbert, daughter of Elder John White and Mary (Welles) White, daughter of Hugh Welles, and brother of Governor Thomas Welles, one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut. By his two wives Thomas (3) Carter had fifteen children. By first wife: Thomas, Abigail. Elizabeth, Benjamin, Anne, Jo- seph, died young ; an infant, stillborn. By second wife: Joseph, Sarah, Samuel, mentioned below; John. Mercy, Eleazer, Israel, Benoni.
(IV) Lieutenant Samuel Carter, son of Thomas (3) Carter and his second wife, Sarah (Gilbert) Carter, was born in Heb- ron, Connecticut. May 31, 1734. died in
Warren, Connecticut, April 1, 1822. He was a farmer. During the French and Indian War he served in 1762 in the Eighth Company, Second Regiment, Con- necticut Troops. During the Revolution he served, as did two of his brothers, at- taining the rank of lieutenant. He repre- sented his district in the Connecticut Gen- eral Assembly sessions of 1783 and 1797, and was a man of influence in his commu- ity. He married, in Warren, May 4, 1759, Martha Buell, born in Hebron, July 24, 1736, died July 5, 1735, aged nearly ninety-nine years, daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Buell. Children: Samuel, born April 9, 1760; Benjamin, January 8. 1762 ; Rebecca, May 25, 1764 ; Buell, men- tioned below; Sarah, October 30, 1768; Martha, June 6, 1771, died young; Dari- us, March 24, 1773; Martha, March 18, 1775; Susanna, August 27, 1777, died young ; Lydia. November 27. 1778; Dan. July 29, 1781.
(V) Buell Carter, son of Lieutenant Samuel and Martha (Buell) Carter, was born in Warren, Connecticut, May 25, 1766, died in Warren, May 8, 1856. He was a farmer all his life. He married in Cornwall, Connecticut, October 29, 1789, Eunice Peck, who died in Warren, Sep- tember 20. 1847, aged seventy-seven years, daughter of Benoni and Mehitable (Mil- lard) Peck. Children: Lorain, born Feb- ruary 24, 1791, died October 24, 1865, mar- ried Sarah Robbins; Russell, mentioned below; Lury, born February 25, 1796. died young; Maria, born May 31, 1800, died March 20, 1837, married Burton Gil- bert.
(VI) Captain Russell Carter, youngest child and only son of Buell and Eunice (Peck) Carter, was born in Warren. Con- necticut. November 2, 1792, died in Waterbury, February 21, 1870. He was a farmer of Warren until 1856, when he moved to Waterbury, where his death
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occurred. He was a man of importance in his community, sergeant, lieutenant and captain of militia, was a selectman, filled many town offices and represented the town of Warren in the State Legisla- ture several times. He was a Democrat in politics and a man highly esteemed. He married (first) in New Milford, Con- necticut, January 29, 1823, Rebecca Stone, born August II, 1797, died in Warren, January 17, 1844, daughter of Benjamin Stone. They had two children, both now deceased : Buell (2), born November 25, 1827, died in Warren in May, 1900; Har- riet Maria, born August 31, 1833, married Charles Vale Moulthrop, and died in South Britain, September 5, 1859. He married (second) in Kent, Connecticut, March 16, 1845, Laura L. Hills, born in Glastonbury, Connecticut, January II, 1824, daughter of John and Esther (Hale) Hills. Children: Rebecca, born Septem- ber 23, 1846, died November 15, 1862; Loren Russell, mentioned below; Elea- nor Elizabeth, born August 10, 1857, died November 10, 1862.
(VII) Loren Russell Carter, only son of Captain Russell and Laura L. (Hills) Carter, was born at Warren, Litchfield county, Connecticut, October 16, 1854. He was educated in Waterbury public schools, Wesleyan Academy and East- man's Business College. He was en- gaged as a hardware clerk until about 1886, then established in the real estate business in Waterbury, and from that year has been continuously in that line of activity, one of its leaders. He has built extensively, and maintains in connection with his real estate business loan and in- surance departments. He is treasurer of the French Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, a company incorporated in 1905, manufacturing brass and copper tubing. He has other business interests. He is a Republican in politics ; a member of Townsend Lodge, Independent Order
of Odd Fellows; member of the Connec- ticut Society; member of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America ; mem- ber of the First Baptist Church, which he serves as trustee, chairman of the board and chairman of the building committee. He is deeply interested in these societies and organizations, taking an active part and adding to their usefulness.
Mr. Carter married at Waterbury, Sep- tember 20, 1879, Irene Ethelinda Hen- drick, born in New York City, daughter of Joseph Edward and Catherine (Card) Hendrick, now residents of Waterbury. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have three children : I. Loren Russell (2), born July 8, 1880; graduate of Yale, A. B., 1903, Harvard Law School, LL. B., 1906, now practic- ing law in Waterbury, one of the rising young men of his profession; he is also secretary of the French Manufacturing Company ; he is a member of the Con- necticut and Massachusetts bar associ- ations and of lodge, chapter, council and commandery of the Masonic order. 2. Earle Buell, born October 20, 1885 ; gradu- ate of Yale, B. S., 1907, Johns Hopkins University, medical department, M. D., IgII, now practicing his profession at Hartford, Connecticut, a young physician and surgeon already well established, member of the County and State medical societies and of the Masonic order; mar- ried Ethel V. Merrick, of Cold Spring, New York, and has a daughter, Eleanor Lorene. 3. Ethel Lorene, born Febru- ary 21, 1889; educated in Emma Willard School, Troy, New York ; a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
WELLS, Samuel Judson,
Manufacturer.
Two generations of this family, Am- brose H. Wells, a manufacturer of seam- less tubing, and his five sons who have continued the business, have made Water-
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THE FEW OK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ANTOPP. L."> TILDIN FO 15
DEARY
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Att. Miles
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
bury, Connecticut, the seat of their ac- tivity. The original plant was built after the English fashion on the grounds sur- rounding the founder's home then on Watertown road, now Watertown ave- nue. The business now incorporated as the A. H. Wells Company, one of the leading manufacturing concerns of Waterbury, is strictly a family business, all the sons of Ambrose H. Wells being interested in its management and living in the vicinity of the old homestead on Watertown avenue.
This branch of the family descends from Thomas Wells, born at Hathwell, North- amptonshire, England, who was a descend- ant, it is agreed, of Robert de Welles or de Euille, one of the Norman lords who came over with the Conqueror and whose name appears on the Roll of Battle Abbey as R. de Euilles. The family arms are : Or, a lion rampant, sable. Crest : A demi lion, rampant, sable. Motto: Semper paratus.
Thomas Wells (English spelling Welles and so used in some of the American branches) was a son of Thomas Wells, a wealthy Englishman, and brother of Hugh Wells, the first of the name to settle in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Thomas Wells, also an early settler at Wethers- field, became a man of great prominence in the colony, serving in many high offices before becoming governor in 1655, serv- ing three terms. He founded a family which has been prominent in every walk of life, one of his descendants, Gideon Welles, serving as secretary of the navy under President Lincoln. The line of de- scent to Ambrose H. Wells is through John Wells, son of Governor Wells; his son, John (2) Wells; his son, John (3) Wells; his son, David Wells; his son, David (2) Wells ; his son, Emory Wells : his son, Ambrose H. Wells.
Emory Wells was born in Newtown, Fairfield county, Connecticut, a shoe-
maker by trade. In 1841 he located in Lockport, New York, where he engaged in the manufacture of shoes until his death. He was a Democrat in politics, a member of the Episcopal church, and a man of ability, highly regarded in his community. He married Maria Gilbert, who bore him a daughter, and two sons, Isaac and Ambrose H. Wells.
Ambrose H. Wells was born in New- town, Fairfield county, Connecticut, March 26, 1837, died in Waterbury, Con- necticut, February 15, 1910. He attended the public schools, but at an early age became his own source of supply, work- ing at farming until he decided to learn the blacksmith's trade. He followed the latter occupation in the country until 1862, then came to Waterbury, Connec- ticut, which was ever afterward his home. lle accepted a position in the brass mill owned by Brown Brothers, became fore- man of the tube department, continuing in that capacity for nineteen years. He then for a time conducted a flour and feed business on Harrison alley near South Main street, but not meeting with the ex- pected success, sold out after two years' experience and returned to the employ of Brown Brothers, securing his former po- sition as foreman. After a year, how- ever, he again started in business for him- self in a small plant on his home grounds on Watertown road in Waterbury and be- gan the manufacture of seamless tubing. He prospered and in 1893 erected a large mill and continued as a firm until 1907, when he incorporated as the A. H. Wells Company. As his sons reached suitable age they were taken into the business and never since its beginning has it been of- ficered or managed by others. A man of enterprise and energy, Mr. Wells gave a good account of his life and when it terminated at the age of seventy-three he left behind him an honored name and sub- stantial results of his stewardship. He
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was a member of King Solomon Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, was a charter member of the Pequot Club, a trustee of Union Chapel, and a Democrat in his political faith.
Mr. Wells married, in Newtown, Con- necticut, Eveline. Judson, daughter of Zenas J. Judson, granddaughter of Abel Judson, Jr., son of Abel Judson, Sr., son of David Judson, son of James Judson, son of Joseph Judson, son of William Judson, who came from England in 1634 with wife and three sons, Joseph, Jere- inialı and Joshua, locating at New Haven. Connecticut, where William Judson died in 1662. The Judsons were an agricul- tural family, owning their own lands and holding high rank in their communities. Abel Judson, Jr., married Ann Bennett, who bore him fifteen children. His son. Zenas J. Judson, married Fanny Torrance and had eleven children, Eveline, the youngest, the wife of Ambrose H. Wells. Five sons were born to Ambrose H. and Eveline (Judson) Wells : Samuel Judson, see forward; Franklin A., see forward ; George H., see forward; Edward A., see forward; Clifford H., see forward.
Samuel Judson Wells was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, October 18. 1866, and has ever been a resident of lis native city. After completing his years of school work he became an em- ployee of the J. O. Wilds drug house on Bank street, Waterbury, continuing until 1805. He also pursued a course in phar- macy and chemistry, graduating in 1891, and became an expert in chemistry and drugs. In 1895 he abandoned the drug business to become his father's business associate, taking at first a minor position. He rapidly advanced, however, to higher position and upon the death of Ambrose H. Wells in 1910 he succeeded him as president of the A. H. Wells Company. As the years have passed the business of the company has steadily increased and it
now employs about one hundred and sixty skilled hands in the manufacture of seam- less brass and copper tubing. In 1916 the company purchased lands on Brown's Meadows, Waterbury's new and desirable factory district and there is erecting a large modern plant where it can great- ly increase its output. Samuel J. Wells is a director of the Waterbury Rolling Mills, has other business interests, and is one of Waterbury's active, enterprising, influential men of affairs. He is a charter member of the Pequot Club, member of Pequot Hose Company, and of Comstock Lodge, Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Wells married (first) Jennie M. Fisher, who bore him a daughter, Aletha Maria Wells, a graduate of St. Margaret's Seminary, now a clerk in the office of the A. H. Wells Company. Mr. Wells mar- ried (second) Mary Schuelke. Children : Martha Adeline; Homer Ambrose, died in infancy ; George Judson : and Gordon Everett. The family home is one of the most beautiful on Waterbury avenue, located not far from the original home- stead.
Franklin A. Wells was born in Water- bury. Connecticut, September 5, 1871, and there has continuously resided. He was educated in the public schools, and at an carly age became associated with his father in business, receiving a careful and thorough training ; and has ever been ac- tive in company management, now being vice-president of the A. H. Wells Com- pany. He is a Democrat in politics, has been active in public affairs and an office holder of the city. He is a charter mem- ber of the Pequot Club: member of Speedwell Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and of Toantic Lodge. Improved Order of Red Men. Mr. Wells married Amelia Schuelke and has five children: Lillian. Emilv, Gertrude, Florine and Franklin A. (2).
George H. Wells was born in Water-
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Clarence & Crates
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
bury, Connecticut, March 26, 1877, and has spent his busines life entirely in as- sociation with his father and brothers. He was educated in the public schools, then began working under the direction of his father in the tubing plant. He is now treasurer of the A. H. Wells Com> pany and an important factor in its suc- cessful operation. He is a charter mem- ber of the Pequot Club and of Speedwell Lodge, Knights of Pythias. Mr. Wells married Florence Davis.
Edward A. Wells was born in Water- bury, Connecticut, January 21, 1879, and has continuously resided in the city of his birth. After completing his education in Waterbury public schools, he entered the family business and has been one of the contributing factors to its continued success. now being general manager of the A. H. Wells Company. He takes an active part in public affairs, is a charter member of the Pequot Club and belongs to Speedwell Lodge, Knights of Pythias. Mr. Wells married Caroline Engert and has four children: Edwin, Marion, Wil- liam and Kennett.
Clifford H. Wells was born in Water- bury, Connecticut, December 18, 1881. and like his brothers has spent his entire business life in the mills now constituting the plant of A. H. Wells Company. He en- tered the mill immediately after complet- ing his public school education, and is now secretary and assistant treasurer of the A. H. Wells Company. He is a char- ter member of the Pequot Club. member of Speedwell Lodge, Knights of Pythias. and interested in much that concerns the business and social life of his city. Mr. Wells married Fredericka Bond and has two daughters, Virginia and Susane.
This review of the life of Ambrose H. Wells and of the careers of his five sons as far as they have progressed, for they are all young men, necessarily touches
the principal points only, but enough is shown to prove the high quality of each. The little beginning made by the father has grown into one of the largest plants in the city and every step in its develop- ment has been under Wells control. Busi- ness ability has gone hand in hand with civic pride and in all that aids the welfare of Waterbury the brothers can always be relied upon to assist.
GATES, Clarence E., D. D. S., Leader in Dental Profession.
Eminent in his own right as one of the leading men of the dental profession, Dr. Clarence E. Gates adds to personal merit a long line of distinguished paternal and maternal ancestors. The paternal line is traced to Thomas Gates. England, 1327, of Higheaster and Thursteubie. Essex, England. The original date of the grant of the right to bear arms is not extant but they are recorded in the Visitations of York 1584 and 1665 with quarterings. Gates (of Semer Yorkshire and Essex England). Arms: Per pale. gules and azure, three lions rampant, gardant or. Crest : A demi-lion rampant, gardant, or.
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